An excellent piece of radio introducing us to Gene Leitner who grew up during the golden age of radio. As a child, Leitner marveled at the 'pictures' radio could paint for him and still finds the medium superior to others. Leitner eventually gets his own show in 1972, playing tapes of recorded old time radio plays, forms a radio drama enthusiasts club, and does re-creation of dramas that had once entertained him. There are some great moments in the piece where Leitner demonstrates how old time radio created sound effects by using simple props. He also recalls moments from one of his favorite radio series 'Lights Out' with excerpts played side by side his recount.
Funny how, in 1972, radio stations weren't keen on broadcasting radio drama, perceiving it 'dead' whereas college students and the younger generation were intrigued by the art form. 33 years later, the perception hasn't changed a bit. While Generation X and onward listen to radio drama and say "If that's radio drama, I like it", radio stations still shy away from the art form.
This piece, thankfully, inspires us to keep those radio plays coming.